Door dovetail construction



y 9, 1939- G. A. TINNERMAN 2,157,641

DOOR DOVETAIL CONSTRUCT ION Filed May 20, 1937 ml lil hazy lllllll K EEC/REE A INNER/IAN Patented May 9, 1939 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,157,041 H noon DOVETAIL CONSTRUCTION George A. Tinnerman, Rocky River, Ohio, assignor to Albert II. Tlnnerman, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 20, 1937, Serial No. 143,786 11 Claims. (01. 189-36) This invention relates to door dovetails and shank of a fastening means such that the dovelike constructions generally wherein the completail members areac'curately positioned for proper mental dovetail members are mounted on the engagement. door and door frame, respectively, to cooperate It is therefore an object of this invention to in preventing vibration and to maintain the door provide a mounting for a dovetail or the like 5 in proper relation to the door frame when closed. member on a wall support, which mounting in- More particularly, thisinvention deals with the eludes means for receiving bolt or screw fastening mountings for cooperating elements, such as 00- elements in the necessary location thereof for engaging dovetail members, wherein it is necesproperly mounting the member, and which also 1 sary or desirable that one or both of such memembodies in its structure provision for ready adbers be adjustable in its mounting to facilitate justment of the member relative to the'support proper engagement thereof at the time of instalfor correct alignment with its cooperating memlation or to'take up for wear after a period of ber at the time of installation or at any time use. thereafter to compensate for wear.

In connection with automobile bodies, for ex- Another object of the invention aims to pro- 15 ample, it is-the common practice to provide the vide an adjustable mounting for a door dovetail doors thereof with one or more anti-vibration member, or the like, which is reliable and effecdevices. Such anti-vibration devices usually tive in use, easily and quickly installed, and comprise complementary lug and socket memwhich is simple and light-weight in construction bers having a substantial wedge or dovetail em to be most inexpensive in cost of manufacture, g0

gagement in cooperating position, the lug being shipping and handling. mounted on the door and the socket being fas- A further object of the invention comprehends tened to a post'or jamb of the door framing, or the provision, in a dovetail 01- like device, of imvice versa. Heretofore, it has involved a tedious, proved means for rigidly and adjustably suplaborious and time-consuming operation to propporting a member in a mounting comprising a 25 erly position the lug with respect to the socket minimum of parts and-including a relatively at the time of installation or to take up forwear thin, light-weight, plate-like retaining device proafter a period of use. Most often, when the coopvided with integral means for receiving bolt faserating members are not in proper engagement tenings or the like, thereby dispensing with the after being mounted on their respective supports, use of conventional nuts and complicated expen- 30 it has been a matter of difliculty and expense to sive nut holding devices. drill or otherwise provide for any discrepancy A still further object contemplates the provisuch that the cooperating members may engage sion of a mounting for a dovetail member, or properly. Automobile bodies usually haveamoldthe like, comprising a retaining device having 3 ing, stripe or belt line which extends around the means cooperable with means provided on a sup- 5 body to embellish the same and, of course extends port to simplify the assembly of the mounting in part, across the doors. Naturally that portion thereon and to permit quick, easy adjustment of of themolding, stripe or belt line on the doors the mounting in the assembled relation thereof must be in alignment with the portions thereof on th support, 4 on the body- Usually a Period of u the A more specific object is for the provision of 40 doors w sag 7 hang Improperly from their a mounting for a dovetail member, or the like, mmmtmgs and P this sag is compensated comprising a relatively thin, plate-like retaining g i when gt gg is a s device having integral means cooperating with car even uay ecomes is or an warpe such that the molding, stripe or belt line is dismeans pmvlded a Suppm slmphfy the assembly thereof, and, other integral means de- 45 g? :f :gi: ga 22;: 535: formed therefrom-adapted to receive bolt fasalignment .of the molding or stripe, and also-to i tenings or the hke to provide 3 gt f i prevent vibration of the door in the door frame Stanflauy equal in strength 1 um I y 5a are sources of considerable trouble and experi-. stmctins emboqyingacqmplmted and expenslve delay on an assembly line, especially i t nut and nut holding devices, heretofore employed.

assembly of all metal structures, where it is inb.it8 d advant e o he mp oved convenient andiiaborious to compensate for an uc ur Will e pp to thoseskllleri 1n e improperly drilled hole or to provide a new accuart as a description thereof proceeds with ref- -rately' positioned hole to suitably receive the creme to theaccompanylrrg drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts throughoutthe same, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view illus trating the wedge member of a door dovetail mounted on the outer face of a door frame section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a retaining element for mounting a dovetail member embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the inner face of the door frame section shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a form of keeper means provided thereon for cooperating with the retaining device to facilitate; the assembly and mounting of a dovetail member, or the like;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the retaining device in assembled relation with the keeper means provided on the door frame section;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. {1, showing the elements of the keeper means in end elevation and their cooperative engagement in assembled relation with the retaining device;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view-of a complete assembly showing the adjustable mounting provided for the door dovetail wedge member on the door frame section;

Fig. '7 is a plan of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a door frame section provided with an alternate form of keeper;

Fig. 9 shows a modification of the retaining element in assembled relation on a door frame section embodying the form of keeper illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line lfl-IO of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 illustrates in perspective a further form of retaining device; and,

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the adjustable mounting provided for a door dovetail member embodying the retaining device of Fig. 11 and held in assembled relation on a support by keeper means such as shown in Fig. 3 or Fig. 8.

- ,In the mounting of coo erating members such as the lug and socket members of a door dovetail construction, some means must be provided for adjusting one or both of such members such that they may be suitably positioned to properly engage, or it often becomes necessary to provide a new, accurately positioned hole to receive the bolt fastening means. In the assembly of all metal structures such as the doors of present day automobile bodies, it is most inconvenient, laborious and time-consuming to compensate for an improperly positioned hole by drilling a new hole. To overcome this, it has been found expedient to make the holes in the support of extra large size such that the bolt or other fastening means are freely movable therein whereupon the dovetail member may be adjusted and clamped on the support as necessary to properly engage with its cooperating member. However, because the nuts with which the bolts coengage are located interiorly of the door frame and therefore are not easily accessible for threading onto the bolts, and also due to the fact that the nuts must have free movement to correspond with the applied position of the bolts, it has heretofore been necessary to mount the nuts by a form of nut-holding means such as cage devices which are spot-welded or riveted onto the inner face of the wall support and in which the nuts are adapted for free movement to coengage with the tail member.

The use of such cage tioning nut elements objectionable due to the excessive costs involved and also the expensive, time-consuming operation required in spot-welding, or riveting the assembled nut and cage onto the supporting member. The instant invention therefore contemplates an adjustable mounting for a door dovetail member, or the like, in which the use of conventional nuts and separate nut-holding devices therefor is entirely dispensed with; likewise, the expensive, time-consuming operation of spot-welding 'or riveting the nut-holding devices onto the door frame is eliminated .with the resultant savings in costs of manufacture. At the same time, an adjustable mounting is prodevices for thus posiin inaccessible locations is thereof is simplified, and which is equal in strength and appearance to heretofore known means for providing an adjustable mounting for a member.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the lug member of a door dovetail comprising a wedge element I carried by a base plate. 2, which is mounted on the outer face of a door frame section F, by bolt fastening means 3 passing through apertures 4, 5, in the plate and frame sections, respectively, to cooperate with a retaining element In disposed on the inner face of the door frame section as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Preferably, the retaining element is constructed from sheet metal, spring steel, cold rolled metal, or any other similar, substantially fiat stock having a thickness relatively thin with respect to the cross section of the bolt fastening means with which it cooperates. As shown in Fig. 2, the retaining element 10 may be in the form of an elongated blank which is suitably deformed to provide a substantial hump portion I l for a purpose hereinafter set forth. Deformed, struck, extruded or otherwise provided on the retaining element are bolt receiving means [2 adapted to coengage with the threads of the bolts 3, substantially in the manner of nuts. The bolt receiving means thus provided may be of suitable form and construction depending on the strength required and the use to which the retaining element is put, so long as the elements thereof threadedly engage with the bolts as they are driven home. As shown, a form of the bolt receiving means may comprise oppositely facing spring tongues I2, struck from the body portion of the retaining device and suitably notched at their extremities to snugly engage the grooves intermediate .the threads of the bolts. In this relation, the spring tongues serve not only as nut devices, but also, are effective as bolt locking means in that, when the bolts are driven home, they become tensioned to dig into the threads and root diameters of the bolts and thereby pre vent loosening or reverse rotation thereof from applied position. The belt receiving means 12 on the retaining element are spaced a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the apertures 4 in the base plate 2 of the dovetail member to be in substantial alignment in the assembly thereof with the bolts 3, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a form of keeper means is provided on the door frame wall section F and is adapted to seat and hold the retaining element thereon in suitable position preparatory to the application of the bolts to mount the dovetail member by its base plate 2.

The keeper may embody any suitable means provided on the door frame, but preferably comprises integral elements K, K, struck from the door frame wall section and deformed to provide a substantial bight or socket adapted to support the-retaining element in assembled relation on greater in diameter as shown in Fig. 6, such that the bolt fastenings 3 have a substantially uniform clearance therein in order that the complete mounting be capable of adjustment in its assembled relation on the support, whereby the dovetail member maybe positioned as necessary to properly engage with its cooperating member at the time of installation or to compensate. for wear anytime thereafter without disassembling any of the parts of the mounting;

From the foregoing, it will appear that a door dovetail member, or the like, may be adjustably mounted on a wall support in a relatively simple assembly embodying substantially the several elements above described in detail. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, the door frame wall section need be only provided with simple inexpensive keeper means in the form of integral elements K, K, deformed therefrom and which may be obtained in .the same punching operation with little or no added cost over that involved in providing the necessary bolt passages 5. The retaining device l may then be readily applied to assembled relation on the support to beheld in position bythe frictional engagement of the hump portion H thereof with the keeper elements K, K' substantially as shown in Fig. 4. Since the keeper elements K, K have a space betweenthem, the retaining device may be most easily applied by canting the same to present an edge portion thereof into engagement with one keeper element whereupon it may be moved laterally such that an opposite edge portion may clear the other keeper element and thus be seated therebetween; then, upon movement of the retaining device longitudinally, the hump portion I I thereof is necessarily caused to frictionally engage the keeper elements such that the retaining device is held in desired, operative position with the bolt engaging means l2 overlying the bolt passages provided in the wall support. See Fig. 4. The application of the retaining device on the support in this manner is quickly accomplished and provides a most rigid assembly which is not subject to accidental displacement in shipping or handling. This is most important in mass production in that the retaining devices may be readily applied on the support in a quick, simple operation by one worker, whereupon another worker need only apply the bolts 3 to the bolt receiving'means E2 to secure the base plate 2 and thereby suitably mount the door dovetail member I, Fig. 6, for proper engagement with its cooperating member. Since the bolt passages 5 in the frame are considerably larger than the diameter of the bolt fastenings 3, the bolts are freely movable therein such that the completed assembly is adjustable as a uniton the frame. When a dovetail member is properly located, the assembly is rigidly clamped in desired mounted 3 position on the wall support by driving the bolts fully home; in this relation, the bolts are effective to tension the tongues of the bolt receiving means [2, to cause the same to cut deeply into Y the grooves intermediate the threads of the bolts and thereby lock the same in applied position against reverse rotation or accidental loosening due to vibration and jarring effects incident to use of the automobile. This locking action of the spring tongues naturally eliminates the necessity for lock washers yet, at the same time, permits the bolts to be driven fully home without stripping the threads or otherwise affecting the efficiency thereof in rigidly clamping the dovetail member in desired position to be equal in strength and appearance to any heretofore known type of mounting.

It is apparent that with this construction the lug and socket members of a door dovetail, or the like, may be readily mounted and easily and quickly positioned on their respective supports for proper engagement with each other in cooperative relation; after the initial installation either or both members may be easily adjusted on its support simply by loosening the associated bolt fast'enings whereby the assembly is movable as a unit and may be clamped in a new location on the support to take up for wear and prevent vibration or sag in the door when in its fully closed position.

In Figs. 8 and 9 an alternate form of keeper means K3, is shown provided on the frame support F. This form of keeper may be obtained by providing substantially parallel slits in the support such that the intermediate strip of metal fastening engagement in the manner set forth with respect to the retaining device represented in Figs. 2, 4 and 6. Since the spring tongues 22 are yieldable and project out of the plane of the substantially flat plate, they are admirably suited for preventing accidental dislodgment of the retaining device from its assembled position on the support in engagement with the keeper K3. Thus, in assembling the retaining device on the support, the yieldable tongues of one of the bolt receiving means are caused to be depressed sufficient to allow the adjacent end of the strip to pass through the opening provided by the keeper K3. When the tongues are clear of the keeper, they naturally flex to their normal raised position, in which relation they project into the path of the keeper K3, Fig. 10, to be effective as stops preventing loss oraccidental removal of the retaining device from its applied position on the inner face of the support preparatory to application of the retaining bolts to mount a dovetail member on the outer face thereof substantially as described with respect to Figs. 1-7 inclusive.

Figs. 11 and 12 disclose a further form of retaining element and which may be employed with thereof with the keeper K4, in the area of the ofiset portion 3|. When seated in applied position on the support, the retaining device naturally tends to assume its initially bowed relation in frictional engagement with the keeper; and since the offset portion 3! presents spaced shoulders 3la, 3lb,of greater spacing than the width of the keeper, K4, Fig. 12, the retaining device is effectively locked in applied position on the support yet is capable of limited longitudinal movement thereon such that bolt engaging means 32 have sufiicient free movement for most efficiently engaging the bolts 3 in the necessary location thereof for properly mounting the dovetail member in desired position on the support. Thus when the bolts 3 are applied to complete the assembly, the entire mounting may be easily adjusted as a unit to desired position on the supporting wall whereupon the bolts are driven home to rigidly clamp the retaining device on the inner face of the support as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 12. A most rigid clamping action may. be obtained by virtue of the abutment end sections 33 cooperating with the base of the ofiset portion 3i, which, in clamping position, serves as an abutment means whereby those portions of the re taining device carrying the bolt engaging means are reinforced such that most efiective engagement and positive locking-actionof the spring tongues 32 with the retaining bolts is obtained; this locking action is effected when the bolts are tightened whereupon the'abutment end sections 33 are caused to move outwardly from the axes of the bolts with the result that the spring tongues move inwardly, gripping the bolts with progressively increasing force.

In all embodiments of the invention, it will be readily appreciated that the improved construction provides a most simple, inexpensive mounting requiring a minimum of parts and few assembling operations and in which the cooperating lug and socket-members of a door dovetail, for example, may be quickly positioned on a door and door jamb, respectively, as accurately as necessary at the) time of installation for obtaining suitable alignment of the molding, stripe or belt line which extends around the body of the automobile and partly across the doors. Unlike prior structures of this type, after the first installation, a dovetail member is capable'of adjustment as a unit in assembled relation on its support by a simple loosening and tightening of the bolt fastenings to clamp\the same in adjusted position to take up for-weai or to compensate for inaccuracies oocurring incident to use and handling.

It will also be obvious that the teachings of the present invention may be embodied in practically any construction, especially metallic structures, in which it is desirable or necessary that a member have a. simple mounting which is capable of quick and easy adjustment either at the time of installation or at any subsequent time'thereafter without disassembling any of the respective parts. Such constructions, for example, may be the door latch and striker plate members of automobiles, refrigerators, etc., door handles, hinges,

tion to be freely movable therein a lug element struck locks, or any other device held in mounted position by bolt fastenings.

While the invention has been described in detail with the specific examples such examples are illustrative only, since other modifications within the spirit and scope-of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Hence the invention is to be understood as limited only as indicated in the appended claims in which the intent is to set forth all the novelty over the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, a supporting wall having an aperture, a member to be mounted thereon, a retaining element having integral bolt receiving means deformed therefrom, integral keeper means provided on said wall comprising a lug element struck and formed therefrom to project out of the plane thereof, said keeper means being adapted to hold the retaining element in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to the application of a bolt through the aperture in the wall to engage with the said integral bolt receiving means of the retaining element to mount the said member in adjustable position on the supporting wall. 2. An adjustable connection comprising, 1n

combination, a supporting wall having an aperture, a member to be mounted thereon, a retaining element having integral bolt receiving means deformed therefrom, integral keeper means provided on said wall comprising 2. lug element struck and formed-therefrom to project out of the plane thereof, said keeper means being adapted to hold the retaining element in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to the application of a bolt passing through the aperture in the wall to engage with the said integral bolt receiving means of the retaining element to mount the said. member in position on thesupporting wall, said aperture in the wall being of greater size than the cross-section of the bolt whereby the mounting is adjustable as a'unit on the said wall.

3.An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, an apertur'ed wall support, a member mounted'thereon by a bolt fastening, a onepiece retaining element-of a thickness relatively thin with respect to the cross section of the bolt and having bolt receiving means deformed therefrom to engage the bolt, keeper means provided on said wall comprising a lug element struck and formed therefrom, to project out of the plane thereof, said; keeper means being adapted to co-' operate with means on the retaining element to hold the same in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to connecting said member with the retaining elementby said bolt fastening, said boltfastening passing through an aperture in the wall of greater size than its cross-secwhereby the complete mounting is adjustable as a unit in its assembled relation on the wall support.

4. An adjustable connection comprising, in combipation,-an apertured supporting wall, a member mounted thereon by spaced bolt fastenings, a retaining element having complementary spaced bolt receiving means deformed therefrom adapted to engage the bolt fastenings, integral keeper means provided on said wall comprising and formed therefrom to project out of the plane thereof, said keeper means being adapted to hold the retaining element in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to connecting said member with -ment to frictionally the retaining element by said bolt fastenings to mount the said member on the Wall, said bolt fastenings passing through apertures in the wall of greater size than their cross-sections to be freely movable therein whereby the complete mounting is adjustable relation on the supporting wall.

5. An adjustable connection comprising, in

combination, an apertured supporting wall, a-

, tions to be freely movable therein in order that thecomplete mounting be member mounted thereon by spaced bolt fastenings, a retaining element having complementarily spaced bolt receiving means deformed therefrom adapted to engage the bolt fastenings,

integral keeper means provided on said wall com-- prising a lug element struck and formed therefrom to project out of the plane thereof, said the retaining element to hold the same in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preconnecting said member with the resupporting wall.

6. An adjustable wall preparatory to mounting said member on the outer face thereof by bolt fastenings engaging with the bolt mounting is adjustable as a unit in its assembled relation on the supporting wall.

7. An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, a. supporting wall having an aperture, a member mounted thereon, a retaining eleand integral bolt receiving said keeper means being adapted to'engage the hump on the retaining elehold the same in adjustable assembled relation ot nhe wa'll preparatory to the application of a bolt fastening passing through said aperture in the wall and engaging with the said integral bolt receiving means of the retaining element to mount the member in desired position on the supporting wall,

8. An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, an apertured supporting wall, a

member mounted thereon by spaced bolt fastenings, a one-piece retaining element of the thick- I .ness relatively thin with respect to the crosssection of the bolts and plementarily spaced formed therefrom to having a hump and com-' n age the bolts, keeper as a unit in its assembled bolt receiving means de- 7 means provided on said wall, said keeper means being adapted to engage the hump on the retaining element to frictionally hold the same in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to mounting said member thereon by the bolt iastenings engaging withthe said bolt receiving means provided in' the retaining element, said 7 1t fastenings passing through apertures in the wall of greater size than their cross-seccapable of adjustment as a unit in its assembled relation on the supporting wall. A i

9. An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, an apertured supporting wall, a member mounted thereon byspaced bolt fastenings, a one-piece retaining element of a thickness relatively thin with respect to the cross-section of the bolts and having complementarily spaced bolt receiving means deformed therefrom to project out -of the plane theerof, keeper means pable of adjustment as a unit in its assembled relation on the supporting wall.

10. An adjustable connection comprising, in

, passlng through apertures in the wall of greater combination, an apertured supporting wall, a

member mounted thereon, a substantially bowed retaining element having an offset shouldered portion and integral bolt receiving means deformed therefrom, keeper means provided on said wall, said keeper means being adapted to cooperate with the retaining element intermediate the spaced shoulders provided by said oifset portion thereof to hold the same in relation on the wall preparatory to the application of a bolt fastening through an aperture in the wall to engage with the said integral bolt receiving means to mount the member in desired position on the supporting wall.

11. An adjustable connection comprising, in combination, an apertured supporting wall, a member mounted thereon by spaced bolt fastenigs, a one-piece'retaining element of a thickness relatively thin with respect to the cross-section of the bolts and having an offset shouldered portion and complementary spaced bolt receiving means deformed therefrom, keeper means provided on said wall, said keeper means being adapted to cooperate with the retaining element intermediate the spaced shoulders provided by said offset portion thereof to hold the same in adjustable assembled relation on the wall preparatory to mounting said member thereon by bolt'fastenings engaging with the bolt receiving means, said bolt fastenings passing through apertures in the wall of greater size than their crosssections to be freely movable therein in order that adjustable assembled 

